Discussing the Global Social Imagination

In our group on Sept 19, 2011 we discussed how we see ourselves in terms of the global social imagination.  We discussed how we affect people of the world by the clothes and food we buy that are not produced by us.  We have the necessities that other individuals in developing countries do not have, and we take that for granted.

As a group we were comprised of female students from Canada.  Those facts would all be a part of our status.

I mentioned a personal influence by four men from England on me.  I am a huge fan of the Beatles and because of this was motivated to travel to Liverpool when I was 24 to see where they lived and were inspired to make the music that has affected me throughout my life.  This shows how people from another part of the world, through media, can affect another individual.

Religion and Homosexuality

Religion and Homosexuality

By: Frank Tridico

Jacob Armstrong

David Barry

Affective Reading Method

This reading is about homosexuality within the realm of religion.  It discusses the power that church and state hold in our society.  It points to two new movements from within that are questioning the power; gay affirming and ex-gay Christians.  The authors question whether these movements can ever truly gain legs from within the organizations that are holding them down.  This article makes society’s heterosexism extremely clear.

After reading this article I feel heartbroken.  I have many homosexual friends, some of whom have spent their lives trying to hide what they were in a fear that they would be rejected by their own family.  I don’t believe in God, but I do understand a person’s need for faith. How could such a faith make them feel that their own urges are against their God? I’m not sure how this could help anyone.

I think that it is an interesting point that is made in regards to gays within religion, through movements, allowing their oppression to continue.  I had never really thought of it in this way but now it seems so obvious.  Perhaps homosexuals require a new religion all together, one outside of Christianity where they can fight from outside the walls of their oppressors.

I believe that both sexuality and religion are the rights of the individual; not the state or the church. Marriage should be between two people who love each other, no matter who those two people are.  There was a time where two people of different races were not allowed to marry; today this would not be tolerated. We are an advanced and intelligent species and should not be bogged down by worrying who other people love and instead we should love all.

I know that homosexuals are born gay; no human being would choose a life of abuse and oppression.  I know that they deserve to worship a God who they know loves them for who they are, not who they love.

Observational Essay on Body Ritual Article

BODYRITUAL AMONG THE NACIREMA
Horace Miner

At the beginning of this article the Nacirema sounded like an exotic group in a far-flung land. However, when it was introduced that they were a North American people that were located between Canada and Mexico the thought of them being from the United States creeps in. The author points out that the people here may have come from the east, a commonly accepted idea that North America was first populated by asians as they crossed the Bering land bridge. The next clue comes from the idea that they have a “market economy,” and that they spend the majority of their time in “economic pursuits.”

The article looks at the Nacirema’s obsession with personal appearance. It looks at many different rituals, each seeming more bizarre than the last. The first portion of the article looks at shrines that are in everyone’s homes, these shrines are of course bathrooms. Miner refers to the time spent by people in the bathroom as “private ceremony” which is most certainly true. The way the bathrooms are described makes even them sound as though they are a sight to behold. Maybe you never thought of the tiles on your bathroom walls as “pottery plaques.”

Once you have an idea that this exotic sounding tribe is actually the people of America, Nacirema backwards is American, you can read into all the ideas that are presented. Suddenly “holy mouth-men” are just simple dentists while a “small bundle of hogs hair” is the toothbrush you use every morning to clean your teeth.

This article points out that any culture can seem extremely exotic depending on the language used to present it. Any ritual, or act done on a daily, or regular, basis can seem to be outlandish if it is described in a certain way.

Biographical Sketch

          My name is Jillian Elcock and I have decided to return to school to pursue a life-long dream of going into the field of anthropology. Since I was young I have always been interested in ancient societies and sought out as much information as I could about Egypt, as well as other ancient civilizations. After high school I went to trade school and became a hairdresser for ten years. Eventually an injured shoulder forced me to leave this original career path. I spent a few years in retail and decided I had enough of that last fall. This is when i decided, at the age of 32, it was time to do what I have always wanted to. I didn’t want to go back for yet another career that I wouldn’t care about that would simply make me money, I wanted to do something I would love. I am still in the processes of deciding what sub-field to enter into, which is difficult because I’m interested in many different aspects of anthropology.

          This semester I am taking three anthropology courses, which I hope to help me narrow down the sub-field I will eventually enter. I am taking Forensic, Biological, and Social & Cultural anthropology, which along with the Archaeology course I took eight years ago will hopefully bring more light to the different areas for me.

          I am in my second semester of full-time school after picking up the odd course about eight years ago. I am currently in the Associate of Arts for Anthropology program. I am considering changing my program to the Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology now that this program is available at Kwantlen. In this program Sociology 1125 is a requirement and that is my reason for enrolling in this course. My current knowledge of social justice is simply that it is the theory that all people deserve the same level of dignity in society, no matter their race, gender, or creed. I am looking forward to learning much more about the subject.